Oftentimes, it is desirable to remotely actuate a power tool in connection with the performance of work upon a particular workpiece at a particular work site or location. One instance in which the remote actuation of a power tool may be desirable would comprise the driving or fixation of fasteners into workpieces which may be located in an overhead position, such as, for example, the fixation of ceiling panels or the like to ceiling substructures. Conventionally, it would usually be necessary for a workman to use a ladder or scaffolding structure in order to permit the workman to be located at an elevated position whereby the workman could advantageously position the power tool at a position adjacent to the ceiling substructure into which suitable fasteners would be driven in order to in fact fixedly secure the ceiling panels to the ceiling substructure. The construction of suitable scaffolding, however, is quite time consuming, and in addition, it is cumbersome and difficult to move the scaffolding from one region or section of a room within which the ceiling panels are being installed.
Similarly, in connection with the use of a ladder, the workman must likewise position the ladder at a first location at which, for example, a first ceiling panel is to be affixed to the ceiling substructure, the workman must then climb up the ladder so as to advantageously position himself at a particularly desirable location in order to in fact affix the first one of the ceiling panels to the ceiling substructure, the workman must then climb down the ladder, move the ladder to a second location at which a second ceiling panel is to be affixed to the ceiling substructure, and the entire process necessarily repeated numerous times until all of the ceiling panels are in fact affixed to the ceiling substructure. Obviously, such an installation procedure or process is quite tiring and time-consuming. A second instance in which the remote actuation of a power tool may be desirable would comprise the driving or fixation of fasteners into work pieces which may be positioned at relatively inaccessible locations.
It would therefore be desirable to have a device which would effectively enable the power tool to be actuated from a position which is remote from the location at which the power tool is to be used to drive or install fasteners within a workpiece which is located, for example, at an elevated or relatively inaccessible position. For example, if such a remotely-actuated device existed, the workman could effectively actuate the power tool, so as to install, for example, the ceiling tiles onto the ceiling substructure, while the workman was standing on the floor or ground. An example of such a device for remotely actuating a power tool, such as, for example, a rivet gun for driving rivet type fasteners into a ceiling substructure in order to affix ceiling panels onto the ceiling substructure, is disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,188 which issued to Steele on Oct. 12, 1976. More particularly, as can be appreciated from FIG. 1, which substantially corresponds to FIG. 1 of the drawings of the patent to Steele, it is seen that the remote control device or tool extension comprises an extension pole which is generally indicated by the reference character 10. The extension pole 10 is seen to comprise a handle 12 which has a plate member 14 mounted upon the upper end portion thereof, and a yoke 16 is pivotally connected to an upper end portion of the plate member 14 as at 18. An intermediate portion of the yoke 16 is also pivotally connected to the oppositely disposed sides 22 of a cradle 23 as at 21, and it is seen that the cradle 23 is adapted to house or accommodate the power tool 24. The power tool 24 is secured within the cradle 23 by means of a clamping strap or ring 28 which is provided with a locking mechanism 30, and it is seen that the nozzle 24a of the power tool 24, from which the rivet fasteners are to be discharged, is oriented vertically upwardly such that a workpiece contacting element 24b may be depressed into contact with the ceiling C. The lower end portion of the cradle 23 is also mounted in a spring-biased manner upon the plate member 14 through means of a coil spring 32, and a release mechanism 45 is disposed within the coil spring housing for actuation by means of a cable, not shown, which is operatively connected to a finger actuator 38 which projects outwardly through a slot 36 formed within a side wall portion of the handle 12. When the finger actuator 38 is moved so as to, in turn, actuate the release mechanism 45, the handle 12 and plate member 14 are able to be moved upwardly so as to cause the pivoting of the yoke 16 with respect to the cradle 23 whereby the bight portion of the yoke 16 will operatively engage and actuate the trigger mechanism T of the power tool 24.
While the aforenoted remote actuation device of Steele is substantially satisfactory from an operational point of view, it is noted that the remote actuation device of Steele does embody several operational disadvantages or drawbacks. For example, it is firstly noted that in order to remotely actuate the power tool 24 of Steele by means of the extension device, the extension device necessarily comprises the provision of the specially configured cradle 23 in order to hold and mount the power tool in a stabilized manner. In addition, in view of the fact that the trigger mechanism T can only be actuated when the finger actuator 38 is actuated prior to the actuation of the trigger mechanism T, and in view of the additional fact that the finger actuator 38 projects outwardly through the slot 36 defined within a predetermined side wall portion of the extension pole 10 and handle 12, then the finger actuator 38 is only accessible from angular positions present within a predetermined angular region defined around the longitudinal axis of the extension pole 10 and the handle 12. Accordingly, the angular orientation of the extension pole 10 and handle 12, or spatial limitations of the locale within which the power tool 24 is to be used, may limit access to the finger actuator 38.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved remote trigger actuating mechanism for a power tool wherein the remote trigger actuating mechanism can be mounted directly upon the power tool by means of existing fastening means such that supplemental or auxiliary means, such as, for example, a cradle, is not required to hold or mount the tool in a stabilized manner, and in addition, the trigger mechanism of the power tool can be actuated by means of the remote trigger actuating mechanism which may be operated from any angular position disposed within the complete range of 360° encompassing the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.